— Mom, are you working the night shift again today? — Katya asked, looking at her mother with concern, as if hoping for a different answer.
— Yes, sweetheart. You and Yura will behave yourselves, won’t you? — Marina gently stroked her daughter’s hand, trying to reassure her.
— Of course, Mom. But you never rest at all, — Katya insisted, keeping her gaze fixed on her. — You need more time for yourself.
— Don’t worry, darling. I need the job so we can have everything we need, — Marina replied, forcing a light smile. — Don’t you want to be the prettiest girl at graduation?
Katya sighed heavily:
— I just wish you were home more often.
— Soon you’ll have that, Katya. There’s only one year left before we finally pay off this damned loan, — Marina said, wearily closing her eyes.
Her thoughts drifted back to the past. Once her life had seemed stable: a solid family, a loving husband, two children. But everything changed when her husband decided to start his own business. Marina hadn’t understood the details, she simply supported him as best she could. However, the loan had to be taken out in her name.
If only that had been the worst of it… Soon her husband confessed he’d fallen in love with another woman, but he promised to help with the payments so she wouldn’t worry. Marina hadn’t even recovered from that blow when a new tragedy struck—he died in a car accident.
She was left alone with two children and a massive debt. Standing at his grave, she wondered how she would live on. The kids needed attention, work drained all her strength, and there was barely enough money for the bare essentials. There were moments when she thought about the unthinkable—the sum of the debt seemed insurmountable. All she had left was her share of the apartment.
Five years passed. Marina endured so much, but now, with only a year left on the loan, she allowed herself to hope. All her income went toward the debt—child allowances and part of her salary. They lived on whatever was left. Fortunately, Katya helped with her younger brother, Yura.
— Alright, Katya, I have to go to work. Don’t worry, check Yura’s homework and make sure he’s home by nine, — Marina said, kissing her daughter on the forehead. — What would I do without you!
The hospital where Marina worked was far away—on the other side of town. She had to take multiple transfers, spending over an hour commuting. Sometimes she thought about finding a job closer by, but she’d grown accustomed to this hospital over the years.
— Good evening, Marina Nikolaevna, — came a calm male voice.
It was Sergey Andreyevich, a new doctor who’d joined the hospital just three months ago. He’d come out of retirement, saying he couldn’t sit idle. Marina noticed he often showed her attention, and she found herself blushing like a schoolgirl. After all, he was a widower, and she was single. Sergey was polite and tactful, only three years older than her. Rumors circulated among the nurses, but they never went beyond whispers.
— Hello, Sergey Andreyevich, — Marina responded, hurrying past to avoid curious glances from the other nurses.
In the doctors’ lounge, her colleagues greeted her with tea.
— Join us, Marina Nikolaevna. How’s it going?
— So far quiet, but as they say, the calm before the storm, — she replied.
Indeed, the start of her shift was uneventful: only one appendicitis patient and a laborer who needed his hand sutured. The weather was beautiful, and Marina stepped into the hospital courtyard, sitting on a bench to rest for a moment.
She jumped when Sergey Andreyevich sat down beside her.
— Marina, I’d like to take you to the movies. I haven’t thought of anything better. A restaurant’s too mundane, a theater not everyone enjoys. And we don’t know each other well yet. But you can’t refuse! — He smiled at her.
Marina, about to politely decline, unexpectedly laughed.
— Are you reading my thoughts?
Sergey shrugged.
— And what is there to read? Every time I see you, you try to slip away.
— Is it that obvious? — she asked in surprise.
— Very. We’re both grown-ups and free. There’s no point denying that there’s something between us.
Marina took a deep breath.
— I’m out of practice with conversations like this.
— But life goes on, — Sergey said gently.
— Alright, I’ll go to the movies with you. But I really don’t have any time.
— I noticed how busy you always are, — Sergey shook his head.
— I have no choice. My husband left me terrible memories, — Marina replied bitterly.
Sergey nodded understandingly.
— That happens. If you want, you can tell me more.
Suddenly Marina felt an overwhelming need to confide. She described her situation in detail while Sergey listened without interrupting.
— That’s why think twice before inviting a woman with such “baggage” to the movies, — she concluded with a sigh.
— Nonsense. There’s always a way out, even in the toughest situations, — he said confidently.
— Maybe you’re right. I think about the past too much. I had a best friend, but after my wedding, we fell out. It turned out she was in love with my husband too. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if things had gone differently? — Marina said thoughtfully.
— But it’s pointless to dwell on what you can’t change. Have you ever reconciled with your friend?
— I don’t know where she is now. She left right after my wedding… — Marina answered.
Sergey looked toward the hospital gates.
— It’s quiet today. That’s unusual. Maybe there’s more work coming soon.
Marina stood and headed into the hospital building. A few minutes later, a nurse approached her.
— Marina Nikolaevna, you’re urgently needed in the operating room!
In the OR, Marina first reviewed the labs without looking at the patient.
— How are you feeling? — she asked, raising her eyes.
On the gurney lay her husband, Kostya, whom she believed was dead. He looked at her fearfully, then turned away.
“That can’t be… — she thought. — But he did die…”
His blood pressure was dropping rapidly, and he was losing so much blood that every second counted. Gathering her strength, Marina focused and began the surgery. Every movement was precise. When it was over, she had no doubt: this was Kostya, despite the documents showing another name. How could such a monstrous mistake have happened?
Exiting the OR, she ran into a woman whose question made her raise an eyebrow in surprise:
— How is he? How is my husband?
Marina recognized her immediately. Lena. The very friend who’d once been inseparable from her until their lives diverged.
— Lena? — Marina whispered in astonishment.
— Marina? I had no idea you worked here… — Lena took a step back, hesitating to meet her gaze.
She sighed deeply, as if gathering her thoughts before speaking:
— Did you operate on him?
— This is Kostya, right? I… I don’t understand…
— Oh, Marina, it turned out like this… We thought we had no choice. Probably we need to talk this through.
— Yes, I desperately want to understand what’s going on! — Marina’s voice trembled with emotion.
At that moment, Sergey Andreyevich appeared in the doorway:
— Is everything alright? Do you mind if I stay? I think you could use some support…
Lena glanced at him, then nodded. They settled into a small, quiet security office to talk.
— So, tell me, — Marina demanded, eyes fixed on Lena.
It turned out Lena had returned to town a few years earlier, accidentally met Kostya, and old feelings had flared up. Together they hatched a risky plan: take out a large loan and disappear to avoid debt and child support.
— Kostya had the right connections; we tried to start a business, — Lena explained, — but it failed. We moved to another city, but competition was too fierce. We ended up with debts, had to sell everything, and came back here. But the creditors found us today… The attack was their doing.
— And how do you plan to get out of this mess? — Marina’s voice was barely contained rage.
— Maybe… maybe you’ll sell your apartment? You own a share through Kostya…
Marina nearly choked on those words.
— Lena, are you even hearing yourself? Kostya left me with a loan I’ve been paying off for years, sacrificing everything for our children! Now you want me homeless?
Sergey Andreyevich sighed heavily:
— I think the right thing is to involve the police. Yes, he’ll have to face the law, but at least he’ll live, and you, Marina, will be free of this burden.
Lena jumped up sharply:
— Marina, don’t betray us! He’s your husband, the father of your children!
— You know, Lena, I don’t even feel sorry for you. Did you ever think of me when you staged this circus? Who thought of the children? We mourned him at the cemetery, and he… Sergey, call the police, please.
Sergey dialed, then turned to Lena:
— Stay here until they arrive.
Lena just waved and sat down. Marina left the room.
— Mom, did something happen? You look so sad… — Katya looked up anxiously when Marina reentered the room.
Marina took a deep breath and sat beside her daughter:
— Katya, I need to tell you something. I don’t even know how to begin…
She told her daughter everything that had happened. Katya listened silently, then quietly said:
— So while we were paying his debts, he was living it up? While we brought flowers to his grave, he was having fun with someone else? Mom, can I just believe that my dad really stayed dead?
Marina shrugged:
— I’m not going to persuade you otherwise. For me, he died twice.
Six months passed.
— Mom, are we celebrating? — The children, barely through the door, rushed to the kitchen. — What’s that wonderful smell?
— Hurry and take off your coats, — Marina bustled about.
Yura inhaled the aroma and whined:
— I’m starving!
Marina laughed:
— Just a little more patience. We’ll eat in half an hour.
Katya raised an eyebrow and approached her mother:
— Mom, are you getting married?
Marina blushed.
— Oh, Katya, what are you… Well… today I want to introduce you to someone. His name is Sergey. Katya, Yura, don’t just stand there—help me set the table.
She turned away, trying to hide her excitement, but saw the children’s surprised faces. In the next second, they hugged her.
— Mommy, we’re so happy for you! As long as he’s a good man, — they whispered, and Marina couldn’t hold back tears.
— He is good, believe me, — she said firmly.
A knock sounded at the door, and Yura ran to answer it:
— Me!
Marina closed her eyes for a moment. There was no turning back now.
A month later they held a modest wedding—a family dinner. Yura and Sergey quickly bonded, and the boy looked up to his new father with respect. Although Sergey asked them not to rush—relationships take time.
Kostya survived but was immediately charged. It turned out he and Lena had a trail of fraud behind them. Marina had to attend the court hearings, since her name was also involved. Kostya looked shattered, Lena no better. They hurled accusations at each other, and Marina felt disgusted watching it all.
The loan remained in her name. The court wouldn’t hear her arguments, since legally the debt was hers. But Sergey helped her pay off the remainder.
— That’s it, Marish, now we start a new life, — he hugged her. — Though now my wallet’s empty, — he added with a smile.
They laughed.
— The important thing is that we’re all alive and healthy; we’ll earn the money back, — Marina replied, firmly believing that everything would be alright now.